World News for Students of English

03-09-2026 07:00

Norway is mourning the death of King Harald V, who passed away at the age of 89 after a 35-year reign. He was Europe’s oldest monarch and became widely loved for modernizing the monarchy.

Over the decades, he broke traditions by marrying a commoner, Queen Sonja, and by serving as a compassionate voice of national unity. King Harald supported minorities, migrants, and the LGBTQ+ community, and was famous for his inclusive speeches emphasizing that all people belong to modern Norway. He also provided comfort to the nation during tragedies, such as the 2011 terror attacks.

Following his passing, his son succeeded to the throne as King Haakon VIII without a coronation ceremony. Despite recent scandals within the royal family and growing public debate surrounding the institution, Norwegians remember King Harald V as an empathetic, grandfatherly figure who successfully adapted the monarchy to a modern democratic society.

Difficult words: commoner (a person who is not a member of the royal family), compassionate (feeling or showing sympathy, care, and concern for others who are suffering), coronation (a ceremony at which a person is formally made a king or queen).

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